Coin-controlled liquid-vending machine



Patented Nov. I898.

o. 6l3g530.

".G. a A. u. RUDOLPH. CUIN- CONTROLLED LIQUID VENQING MACHINE.

(Application filed Sept. 15, 1897. Renewed Oct. 8, 1898.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

fzz Z/EZZZUIS, X

&@ 6364M In: News wzrsns co. Pnumuma. WASHINGTON, E. c.

No. 68,530. Patented Nov. l, I898. H. G. &. A. H. RUDOLPH.

CUIN CONTROLLED LIQUID VENDING MACHINE.

(Application filed Sept. 15, 1897. Renewed Oct. 8, 1898.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WWW

'No. 6I3,530. Patented Nov. I, I898.

H. G. &. A. H. RUDOLPH.

ODIN CONTROLLED LIOUID VENDING MACHINE.

(Application filed Sept. 15, 1897. Renewed Oct. 8, 1898.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets8heet 3.

l I 1 l l l L Wf m 76 65 m: nonms PETERS co, PHOTQLITHQ. WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY G. RUDOLPH AND ALBERT H. RUDOLPH, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

COIN-CONTROLLED LIQUID-VENDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,530, dated November 1, 1898.

Application filed Beptember 15, 1897. Renewed October 8, 189 8\ Serial No. 693,047. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that We, HENRY G. RUDOLPH and ALBERT I-I. RUDOLPH, citizens of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ooin-Oontrolled Liquid-Ven ding Machines, of Which the following, with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact specification.

Our invention relates to a machine for dispensing liquids, and particularly to machines for vending liquids that are flavored with syrups or extracts, the operation of the machine being controlled by the placing of a coin into the machine.

The objects of our invention are, first, to provide an improved machine that can be adapted to vending a liquid and one syrup or extract for flavoring the liquid or flavor the liquid with any one of a variety of syrups or extracts and yet keep the liquids and the flavoring-syrups separate until mixed to be sold; second, to provide an improved machine so constructed that a determined amount of liquid and of syrup to be mixed therewith will be dispensed at each operation of the machine, and, third, to provide a machine that is simple in construction, effective in operation, not liable to get out of order, and that cannot be tampered with when the case is closed to cause liquid to flow therefrom Without first placing a coin therein or causing more than a determined quantity of liquid to flow after having placed a coin in the machine.

Other objects of the invention are made apparent by the detailed description.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts defined in the claims, to which reference is here made.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine adapted to dispense liquid refreshments of three diiferent flavors. Fig. 2 is a side View of the interior of the machine, partly in section and with some of the parts broken away. Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective vieW of one of the reservoirs with its accessories. Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross-section of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged front view of one of the reservoirs and parts in front of it with the casing re moved, and Fig. 6 is a plan view of the coin receptacle and release-levers connected with and operated therefrom.

Similar characters of reference designate similar parts in the drawings and specification.

1 is the casing of the machine, which may be made of sheet metal or other material. It may be of any design suitable to meet the requirements and capacity of the machine. The casing illustrated in the accompanying drawings is designed for the vending of a liquid soda-Water, for instancemixed with any one of three different flavors and isprovided with three coin-slots 1, 1 and 1 and a dischargespout 1.

Supported by any suitable means within the casing is a liquid-holding tank 2, adapted to contain water, soda-water, or other liquids, and syrup or extract holding tanks 2, 2 and 2', each to contain a flavoring extract or syrup. Arranged on the frame 3, beneath the tanks, are three reservoirs 4, 4:, and 4, one below each extract-tank. Each of the reservoirs 4, 4 and 4 is of a determined capacity, into which liquid flows from the liquid-tank and or syrup from the flavor-holding tank and extract mixes preparatory to being sold. The said reservoirs are approximately of a capacity to fill a drinking-glass A, into which the mixed liquid and flavoring matter flows from the machine.

Under each of the reservoirs and adapted to receive the contents thereof is a funnel 12. These funnels are connected by pipes 12 with the discharge-spout 1 As the operation of all the reservoirs and their valves and connections are identical,the description of the apparatus connected with one will apply to all. Therefore in order to abbreviate and simplify the specification I will describe but one of the reservoirs and designate the corresponding parts connected with each reservoir by like characters.

. Each of the reservoirs is provided with a vent-pipe 4 and with two valves 4 and 4 The valves 4 are connected by means of the pipes 4; with the liquid-holding tank 2. The valve 4 of the reservoir 4 is connected by means of the pipe with the extract-holding tank 2, and the valves 4 of the reservoirs 4 and 4 are in like manner connected with the extract-holding tanks 2 and 2, respectively. Fixed to the stem of the valve 4 is an arm 4 and fixed to the stem of the valve 4 is a similar arm 4". Pivoted to the frame 3 at 3 is a lever 5, which extends through a slot 1 in the front of the casing 1 and is provided with a knob 5 on its free end. The forward end of the lever is held up by the spiral spring 5. Two rods 6 and 6 are pivoted at their forward ends to the lever 5 at 5", and the rear ends of the rods 6 and 6 are pivoted to the arms 4 and 4, respectively.

Fixed to the reservoir or some other stationary support is an arm 7, the free end of which is provided with a sleeve 7 This sleeve 7 forms a bearing for the rod 7,which is one member of a four-sided rocker-frame. The forward member 7 of said frame is connected by the spring 7 with the frame 3. In the under side of the reservoir are one or more openings 4 Attached to the rod 7 by means of arms 7 are valves 7 These valves are adapted to be seated in the openings 4 and are held in their seats by the spring 7 Fixed to the lever 5 is an arm 5, which extends back under the forward member 7 of the rockerframe. A block 8 is pivoted in a bracket 8, which is attached to the frame 3 below the lever 5. Extending from one side of the block 8 is an arm 8", on which is a weight 8. An arm S extends from the opposite side of the block 8 and carries the coin-basket hereinafter described. The block 8 is also provided with an upwardly-extending rock-arm 8 and is so arranged that when the machine is in its normal position the arm 8 will be in the path of a lug 5 on the lever 5 and form a stop to prevent the lever from traveling the full extent of the slot 1. The block 8 is held in this position by the weight 8 and the anglearm 8*", which bears against the stop 3, fixed to the frame 3.

The coin-receptacle, which is attached to the end of the arm 8 at the lower opening'of the coin-chute 10, is preferably constructed of two pieces of tin-plate or other suitable material 9 and 9, so bent as to form side wings 9 and 9, tapering from the top down to the bottom. These wings 0 and 9 are pivoted to each other near the middle by pivots 9 and 9 A spring 9, attached to the two parts 9 and 9, keeps the basket normally closed at the bottom. The inside pivot 9 is rigidly attached to the part 9 and passes freely through a hole in the wing 9 and extends to the left in the arm 9. A rocker 11 is journaled in the frame 3 at 3. An arm 11 on the rocker extends under and is held in contact with the lever 5 by the weight 11 on the arm 11 of the rocker, and the arm 11 extends forward over the arm 9 of the basket. The coin chutes 1O 10 are supported by branches 3 of the frame 3, and their upper months are in proximity to the coin-slots 1, l", and 1 in the casing 1.

When the machine is at rest, the valves 4 and 4 are open, allowing the water from the tank 2 and the flavoring extract from the tanks 2, 2 and 2 to freely flow into and entirely fill their respective reservoirs, where the water and flavoring become mixed. The levers 5 are held to the top of the slots 1 by the springs 5 and the openings 4 are closed by the valves 7 through the action of the springs 7 The operation of the machine is as follows: A coin of the required weight and dimensions is dropped into one of the coin-slots 1, 1 or 1. It passes through the coin-chute 10 into the coin-receptacle and overbalan ces the weight 8. The arm 8 is thus thrown to the right until it comes in contact with the stop 3 and out of the path of the lug 5. The lever 5 is then free to be pressed down. The first operation that takes place in the clownward pressure of the lever is to close the valves 4 and 4 through the action of the rods 6 and 6 and the arms 4 and 4 thus shutting off the supply from the tanks. As the lever 5 is continued in its course down the slot 1 the arm 5 will come into contact with the member 7 of the rocker-frame and by raising the frame unseat the valves 7 f and permit the discharge of the fluid mixture from the reservoir into the funnel beneath, from whence it is carried by'thc connectingpipe to and out of the spout 1. At just about the time that the arm 5 comes into contact with the member 7 the arm l1 will have been forced down by the lever5 until through the rocker 11 the arm 11 comes into contact with the arm 9 and depresses it. This movement opens the bottom of the basket and releases the coin and leaves the basket free to assume its normal position when the pressure on the lever 5 is relieved. It will readily be seen from the foregoing description that when the pressure on the lever 5 is relieved the parts will all assume their normal positions through the action of the various springs, levers, arms, and weights.

It is necessary in order to operate the machine to drop a coin in the coin-slot of sufficient weight to overbalance the weight 8; otherwise the lever 5 is prevented from traveling far enough to unseat the valves 7 and permit the discharge of the liquid. If the weight 8 is not overbalanced and the arm 8 thrown out of the path of the lug 5, pressure brought to bear on the lever 5 will close the valves 4 and 4 and shut off the supply from the tanks, but not discharge the liquid from the machine.

In our improved machine it is impossible to manipulate thedevices to obtain from the spout more than the amount allowed by the capacity of the reservoir for one coin. The first function of the lever when pressed down ward shuts off the supply from the tanks, and the supply remains shut off until the lever is brought back to a point beyond which the upright arm on the pivotal block 8 is allowed to fall into the path of the lug and thus lock the lever 5. The coin having dropped from the basket leaves the arm Slfree to assume the locked position at the time of the discharge of the liquid from the reservoir.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a coin-controlled liquid-vending ma chine, the combination of a tank for holding liquid, a tank for holding an extract, a reservoir, connection between each of said tanks and said reservoir, a valve in each of said connections, a valve-closed opening from the reservoir, levers adapted to close the valves in the connections between the tanks and the reservoirsand open the outlet-valve from the reservoir after the other valves shall have been closed, a spout leading from the outletvalve from the reservoir, a lock-lever to secure the lever by which the aforesaid valves are operated, and a coin-receiving device to release said lock-lever, substantially as described.

2. In a coin-controlled liquid-vending machine, atank for holding liquid, a tank for holding an extract, a reservoir provided with a valve-closed discharge-opening, a connection from each of said tanks to the reservoir, a valve in each of said connections, a lever having connections with each of said valves and adapted to open the discharge-valve from the reservoir after the valves in the tank connections shall have been closed, a spout, connection from the discharge-valve to the spout, a stop adapted to engage the lever that operates the valves, a lever adapted to be opened by a falling coin to release the stop from said lever, substantially as described.

3. In a coin-controlled liquid-vending machine, a tank for holding liquid, a series of tanks for holding flavoring syrups or extracts, a reservoir for each tank that holds flavoring matter, a connection between the liquid-holding tank and each of said reservoirs, a connection from each flavoring-matter tank to the reservoir that corresponds with it, each of said reservoirs having valve-closed outlets, valves in each of the connections from the liquid-tank to the several reservoirs, an opcrating-lever for each reservoir, said operating-levers each having operative connection with the valves in the connections to its corresponding reservoir and the outlet valve therefrom, a rocking stop to lock the operating-lever when the outlet-valves are closed, and a lever adapted to rock said stop to clear the operating-lever when a coin shall be placed in the machine, substantially as described.

4. In a coin-controlled liquid-vending machine, the combination of a liquid-holding tank, one or more extract-holdin g tanks, reservoirs arranged below the extract-holding tanks, connections between the tanks and reservoirs, valves to control the flow from the tanks to the reservoirs, connections between the reservoirs and the discharge-spout,valves to control the flow of liquid from the reservoirs to the discharge-spout, a lever for each reservoir adapted to open and close all the valves connected with that reservoir, means for automatically .locking said lever, and means for unlocking the lever by the weight of a coin, substantially as described.

5. In a coin-controlled liquid-vending machine, the combination of a tank, a reservoir arranged below said tank, connection between said tank and reservoir, connection between the reservoir and discharge-spout, valves for controlling the flow of liquid from the tank to the reservoir, valves for controlling the flow of liquid from the reservoir to the dischargespout, a lever and suitable connections for operating said valves, a rocking block provided with a vertical arm and pivoted below the operating-lever, a weighted arm on said block for throwing the vertical arm into the path of the lever and thereby looking it, and a coin-receptacle fixed to said block and adapted to receive a coin and overbalance the weighted arm, substantially as described.

6. In a coin-controlled liquid-vending machine, tanks for holding liquid, valves to control the flow of liquid from the tanks, a lever to operate said valves, and a coin-operated mechanism consisting of a rocking stop, a coin-receiver, a lever connecting the coin-receiver and the rocking stop, substantially as described.

7. In a coin-controlled liquid-vending machine, a lever through which the flow of liquid is controlled by moving valves, a rocking stop adapted to engage said lover, a chute, a coinreceptacle to which the chute leads, and connection between the coin-receptacle and the rocking stop whereby the striking of a coin in the receptacle will rock the stop free of the operating-lever and permit it to be moved, substantially as described.

8. In a coin-controlled liquid-vending machine, the combination of areservoir having a discharge-opening, a rocking lever carrying a valve to close the discharge-opening in the reservoir, a lever to operate the rock-lever, a rock-stop to engage the operating-lever to prevent opening the discharge-valve, a coinchute, and connection between the coin-chute and the operating-lever whereby a coin passing down the chute will rock the stop and re lease it from the operating-lever and permit said discharge-closing valve to be opened, sub stantially as described.

9. In a coin-controlled liquid-vending ma chine, a lever through which the flow of liquid is controlled by moving valves, a coin-chute, a rocking stop, a coin-receptacle attached to said rocking stop, a spring for holding the bottom of the coin-receptacle closed and means for opening said receptacle and thereby release the coin, substantially as described.

10. In a coin-controlled liquid-vending ma- IIO tures, in the presence of two witnesses, this 26th day of June, 1897.

HENRY G. RUDOLPH. ALBERT I-I. RUDOLPH.

Witnesses:

JOHN SCHUMANN, J. A. OSBORNE. 

